Hay-rack.



PATBNTBD AUG.1,`1905.

E. A. WHBATLBY.

HAY RAGK.

uruonlox mmm oo'r. 12,1904.

2 suma-sum 1.

P1 N a No. 795,878. PATBNTED AUG. 1, 1905.

B. A.. WHBATLBY.

HAY RAGK..

APPLICATION FILBD OUT. 12.1904.

'nnrrnn s'rA'rEs PATENT OFFICE.

HAY-RACK.

Specficaton of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug: i, 1905.

Application filed October 12, 1904. Serial No. 228,145.

To all whom it may conaern:

Be it known that I, EDWINA. WHEATLEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Fennville, in the county of Allegan and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful lmprovements in Hay-Racks; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and eXact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to combined hay and stock racks for wagons. i

One obj ect of the invention is to provide a simple, ineXpensive, durable, and efficient combination of the character named.

Another obj ect resides in the construction and arrangement of a combined hay and stock rack wherein the parts may be quickly changed from one position to another or, if desired, may be readily removed from the wagon-body.

l/Vith these and other objects in view the present invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appendcd claims, it being understood that changes in the form, proportion, size, and minor details may be made within the scope of the claims without dcparting from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the present invention.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a combined hay and stock rack constructed in accordance with the present invention and illustrated as arranged for a hayrack. Fig. 2 is an end view. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view, the side racks and braces being shown in elevation and in vertical position. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective ,view of the forward standard, including its adjunctive parts; and Fig. 6 is a detail view of one of the cross-bars, having its attaching means or hooks at one end and the supporting members attached to the other end thereof, the latter member being shown in an elevated position.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings, there is shown a wagon-body made up of upper and lower side sections 1 and 2, respectively, and upper and lower end-gate sections 3 and 4, respectively. The lower side sections are each provided with a series of alining metallic or other suitable straps 5, securedthereto by bolts or the like 6, which are designed to receive the tapering ends of the pieces 7, secured at their upper ends, by means of bolts or the like 8, to the upper sections, the pieces 7 serving to brace and lock the side Sections in proper relation with each other.

Each upper and lower section of the sides of the wagon-body is provided at each end upon the inner face with pairs of alining strips of any suitable material 9, which may be secured thereto in any suitable manner and which are designed to form guides 10 for the reception of the corresponding upper and lower end-gate Sections, each of the latter Sections having bars of wood or any other suitable material 11 secured near their ends to prevent warping or the like. I

Piercing the ends of the upper and lower side Sections are keeper-bars or the like 12, between which and the end-gates are slidably fitted the legs 13 of the front and rear standards 14 and 15, respectively, the front or forward standard being provided with a series of three cross-bars or the like 16 and the rear standard with two cross -bars or the like 17. These uprights are composed of any suitable material, and'the forward one, owing to its extended height, is provided with a brace 18 at its upper end, as shown. Vhile these uprights would be firmly supported between the end-gates and said kcepers, they would not be supported as rigidly without the hookplates or the like 19, secured by means of short'bolts or the like 20 to the inner face of the legs of the standards and which are bent over the upper edges of the upper end-gate Sections, as at 21, and downwardly over the inner faces thereof, as at 22, to some length, as shown.

Secured to the under surface of the wagonbody is a series of transverse beams or the like 23, of wood or other suitable material, there being five shown for purposes of illustration, the intermediate one of the series having an iron or other form of brace 24, secured to opposite sides thereof and to corresponding sides of the lower body-Sections. Arranged upon the respective sides of the wagon-body are side racks 25 and 26, each having a series of braces 27 secured thereto. These braces 27 each has its larger inner end provided with metallic or other hooks 28, secured thereto upon opposite sides thereof in any suitable manner, each of the braces tapering from their inner toward their opposite ends and then enlarged, forming a head 29, provided with a groove 30 therebetween and the inclined back 27a of the brace. 'In other words, the inner end of each brace is provided with a pair of hooks 28, designed to hook over and into engagement with the corresponding series of) metallic or other straps 31, secured to the sides of the body of the wagon by means of bolts or the like 32, the outer end of each braee having a pair of plates or the like 33, pivoted upon opposite sides of the head portion thereof by means of a pivot-pin or the like 34, the opposite ends of the said plates or the like being pivotally connected to the reduced tapering end of a supporting-brace 35 by means of a pivotpin or the like 36. The supporting bar or brace 35 has its inner end reduced, so that it might be turned inwardly and fit snugly within the groove 30 of the head portion 29, with its back flush with the inclined face 27a of the brace and its opposite end reduced, so that the faces 37 and 38, formed by the lastmentioned reduced portion may have a snug engagement, one face with the side of the wagon-body and the other face with the upper surface of the corresponding cross-beam 23 when the rack is in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2. a

Secured upon the sides of the wagon-body in any suitable manner and upon each side face of the supporting-braces 35 is a pair of hooks 39, adapted to be hooked into engagement with the eyes or the like 40, secured upon the opposite sides of the supporting members.

It will thus be seen that when the invention is constructed and arranged for a hayrack the side racks are held in outward position through the instrumentality of their cross-pieces and supporting-braces, the latter roviding a firm bracing effect by reason of t e lower ends thereof bearing directly upon the sidefi'of the wagon-body and the top of the cross-beams arranged beneath the latter.

When it is desired to arrange the device for the racking 'offruit or the like, it is only necessary to disengage the hooks associated with the lower ends of the supporting-braces, thereby permitting the side racks to be elevated to a Vertical position with the supporting-braces arranged flush with the backs of the cross-pieces of the racks, as clearly shown in the accompanying drawings. In order to retain the side racks in Vertical position so that the same will form a complete rack arrangement with the forward 'and rearward rack-standards, rods or the like 41 'are designed to pierce the auxiliary brace-pieces 42 and 42a'of the side racks, each of said rods or bars having its free end screw-threaded for v the reception of a nut or the like 43. If it be desired to use the device for the purposes of inclosing poultry, it is only necessary to cover the arrangement described for a fruitrack with any suitable covering. (Not shown.) If desired, the supporting-braces may be turned upwardly over the upper edges of the side racks to aid in the support of the covering, as well understood.

In order to relieve the supportinU-braccs 35 of more or less strain when the evice is used as a hay-rack, chains 44 are secured to the end cross pieces or braces 27 of each side rack, the same being fixed to the plates 45, secured to said braces in any suitable manner, with the free ends of the chains provided with ahook 46 for engagement with the corresponding hooks, eyes, or the like 48, secured upon the legs of the forward and rearward standards, as clearly shown in the drawings. These chains may still retain the same position when the side racks are raised to vertical positions; but it is thought prcferable to disengage the same from the hooks 48 when in the latter position.

What is claimed is- 1. In a hay and stock rack, the combination with a wagon-body having a series of straps arranged upon opposite sides thereof; of side racks arranged upon the sides of the wagon-body, each side rack having a series of braces secured thereto, each of said braces having a pair of hooks secured upon the inner end thereof for engagement with the corresponding straps aforesaid, the outer end of each of said braces having a head portion provided witha groove; supporting-braces pivotally connected to the said head portion of the aforesaid braces and provided with a tapering end for interlocking engagement with the said heads of the first-mentioned braces; means for detachably engaging the opposite ends of the supporting-braces to the wagon-body; and uprights associated with the end-gates of the said body.

2. In a hay and stock rack, a wagon-body; racks hingedly connected to the sides of the said body; supporting-braces pivotally connected to the outer edges of the said racks and having their free ends detachably associated with the wagon-body, the under surface of the aforesaid racks being constructed and arranged for interlocking engagement with the pivoted ends of the said braces.

3. In a hay and stock rack; a wagon-body; racks hingedly connected to the sides of the said body, each rack having a series of braces secured thereto, the outer ends of each of said brace havimT a head porton; supportingbraces pvotaly secured to the heads of the first-mentioned braces agd hvng their pvoted ends formed for nterlocking engagement With the heads of the first-named braces.

In testimony Whereof I affix my signatureA ih presence of twov Witnesses.

EDWIN A. WHEATLEY.

Vtnesses J. E. HUTCHINSON, GEO. B. MEOHEM. 

